I was a little behind this week due to travelling so I didn't get to announce this year's Madison Tourney. I thought I might have plenty of time but they've already hit capacity. If you want to go however you should still sign up as an alternative given that there will be a number of guys who drop out along the way.

For those of you unaware, the Tecmo Super Bowl tournament in Madison, WI is annually the largest one of it's kind in the world. Unofficially, it's the Tecmo Championship featuring some of the best console and online players in the US.

Entry Fee: $25. Includes a tournament t-shirt (size to be selected during website registration)

How to Sign-Up: If you are already registered with the website, simply access the site and click on “Sign up for Tecmo VIII.” Your login information is that which you provided when you initially registered for the site. If you have forgotten your password, click on the “I forgot my password” link and a new one will be forwarded to your email account.

If you have not yet registered for the site, you must do so before you can sign-up for Tecmo VIII. To register for the site, access the website and click on the “Register Now” link (top left of screen). Follow the instructions and once you have completed site registration, you will be in a position to sign-up for Tecmo VIII.

NFL Films’ Potential Involvement: In October, NFL Films contacted Chet and Josh about doing a Tecmo Super Bowl documentary in which the tournament would play a role. The producer envisioned devoting a portion of the piece to chronicling various competitors’ preparation and participation in the tournament. Obviously, this is tremendously exciting news. We nonetheless have to stress that the documentary’s creation is not a sure thing. Please keep that in mind as we move forward, and please refrain from asking us specific documentary-related questions. Given that it is a possible NFL Films project, we probably will not know the answer, and even if we do, we may not be in a position to respond. Thanks guys.

Tournament Rules & Format: All of this information is available on the tournament website, as are past tournament results, pictures, competitor profiles, and a general tournament history. There is a new wrinkle to the Elite 8 and Final 4 this year, so please check out the “Rules” tab on the website.

Equipment Needed: This tournament requires at least 16 systems to operate properly. If you can bring an NES, a cartridge, or a television to the tournament, please indicate such during the enrollment process (the website will automatically seek this information when you sign-up). Any help is appreciated.

Questions: If you have a question potentially applicable to all competitors (rules, tournament format, etc), please post such below. This is the official tournament thread. If you have an individual question that requires our attention, you can reach us at admins@tecmomadison.com

Final Word: Last year’s tournament had 144 competitors from 20 different states. We expect similar numbers and state diversity this year. Make no mistake: this event has morphed into a national event featuring many of the country’s best players. In short, the unparalleled collection of talent at this tournament demands nothing less than your very best. The Tecmo offseason is officially over, and Brad Muster, recently awoken from hibernation, is none too pleased.